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Big East Basketball: UConn, Seton Hall remains in hunt of latest power rankings

By Salvador Lopez

NEWARK, NJ - FEBRUARY 01: The Big East logo on the floor before a college basketball game between the Xavier Musketeers and the Seton Hall Pirates at the Prudential Center on February 1, 2020 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
NEWARK, NJ - FEBRUARY 01: The Big East logo on the floor before a college basketball game between the Xavier Musketeers and the Seton Hall Pirates at the Prudential Center on February 1, 2020 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /
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Butler Basketball
Big East Basketball Bryce Golden Butler Bulldogs (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images) /

9. Butler Bulldogs (3-7, 2-5 Big East)

Butler’s three victories this season have been through their defense guiding them to victory. The Bulldogs are currently third in the conference allowing their opponents to average 69.2 points per game this season.

Once again, the Bulldogs defense came through last Wednesday to give them the victory 63-55 against Georgetown. Butler’s defense held the Hoyas to around 15 points below their average while holding Georgetown’s two starting seniors, Jahvon Blair and Jamorko Pickett, to shoot a combined 8-for-29 (27.6 percent) from the floor.

The struggle for Butler this season has been on the offensive side of the ball. The most points that the Bulldogs have scored this season was 73 points in a loss to Southern Illinois.

Butler currently ranks last in the conference averaging just 63 points per game and is around 320th nationally in scoring. The Bulldogs run a slow and methodical offense that is averaging a league-low 52.9 shot attempts per game.

During their loss on Saturday against UConn, Butler was held to 60 points and attempted 45 shots, which was tied for a season-low in shot attempts with their game against Villanova.

Things didn’t get better on Tuesday when Butler was held to just 57 points against St. John’s. The Red Storm entered their matchup on Tuesday last in the Big East allowing opponents to average over 86 points per game.

The problems for Butler this season continue at the free-throw line by leaving points off the board. Butler does not have a single player within their starters and key reserves that is shooting better than 80 percent at the free-throw line this season. The Bulldogs are last in the conference and around 330th nationally making just over 61 percent of their free throws.

Butler will face their second top-10 opponent this season when they host Creighton on Saturday. The Bulldogs will then travel to DePaul on Tuesday before heading back home to host Seton Hall next Friday.

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